MADRID — Real Madrid’s slim chances of defending their La Liga crown have been effectively ended with a chaotic defeat at home to Villarreal.
Samuel Chukwueze upstaged Vinicius Junior by scoring twice in an outstanding performance by the Villarreal forward to lead its 3-2 comeback win.
Los Blancos remained 12 points behind leaders Barcelona, with the Catalans in action on Monday, in their game in hand, as the run-in intensifies.
Carlo Ancelotti will now turn his attention to cup competitions ahead of facing Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League action.
The Nigeria international canceled out a sixth-minute own goal by teammate Paul Torres when he juked past Nacho Fernandez to score his first goal in the 39th minute.
Vinicius put Madrid back in front shortly after half-time after he eluded a pack of defenders, but Chukwueze made a pass that led to Jose Morales’ equalizer in the 70th.
He then struck the 80th-minute winner from long range to stun the Santiago Bernabeu.
Madrid´s first home loss in the domestic league comes four days before it hosts Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
Real Sociedad defeated Getafe 2-0 to tighten their grip on fourth place, while Villarreal rose to fifth after their impressive triumph at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Vinicius Junior netted a superb solo goal before Jose Luis Morales equalised again and Chukwueze curled home a superb winner, which reduced Madrid’s hopes of retaining the title to virtually nothing.
“The truth is, it was hard for us to be 100 percent motivated, that’s quite normal,” Real Madrid coach Ancelotti said.
“If you aren’t 100 percent, you have to be better on the pitch, we weren’t organised, they manage the ball well and it was hard for us to get it back.”
However the coach said the defeat did not allow any doubts to creep in ahead of Chelsea’s visit in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.
“No, no doubts,” added Ancelotti. “We knew it could be complicated, and Wednesday is another story. Our level dipped a bit today, but on Wednesday it will be at the maximum.”
The coach made six changes from the 4-0 Clasico thrashing of Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-final midweek, with Europe in mind.
However he maintained his attacking trio of Karim Benzema, Rodrygo and Vinicius, looking to put the game to bed early.
Marco Asensio and Vinicius combined for Madrid’s opener, with Torres deflecting the latter’s cross into his own net.
The visitors levelled late in the first half when Chukwueze’s magical footwork left defender Nacho Fernandez for dead, and the Nigerian finished clinically past Thibaut Courtois.
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